Occupational Health & Safety

Staying safe on the job is everyone’s responsibility. Being educated on the risks, as well as injury-prevention tips is key. In order to eliminate workplace injury, workers and employers alike must be aware of all safety rules and responsibilities. Following these rules and responsibilities will keep you and your employees safe at work.

You have the right to get information about hazards in the workplace. Hazards are anything that has the potential to cause an injury or illness. If your employer doesn’t tell you, ask. Find out where the potential hazards are at your workplace.

If you work in a restaurant, for example, your employer must explain the safe way to do your job including how to:

Handle the compressed gas cylinders used with soft drink dispensers

Use and clean deep fryers

Prevent repetitive strain and back injuries

Right to participate

You can become involved in health and safety at work. Every Saskatchewan workplace with 10 or more workers must have a worker/management occupational health committee. High hazard workplaces with 5 to 9 workers must have an occupational health and safety representative.

Occupational Health and Safety gives training courses to help committee members. A committee is to:

Conduct regular inspections of the workplace

Assist workers to ensure their health and safety concerns are appropriately handled

Advise and assist employers with OHS-related policies, procedures and issues

Investigate when someone refuses to perform a job or task that they believe is unusually dangerous

If your supervisor is unable to help with your safety concerns, discuss them with your occupational heath committee or your occupational health and safety representative, if one is present. If there is no safety committee or representative, call Occupational Health and Safety at 1-800-567-7233 toll free.

What are my responsibilities?

As a worker you have rights, but you also have responsibilities to work and act safely on the job. Under the legislation you are expected to:

Know and follow company health and safety policies, practices and procedures

Use safety equipment properly and as required by the employer

Report accidents, occupational illnesses, and near misses

Report health and safety hazards and concerns

Refrain from causing, encouraging or participating in harassment

Conduct yourself in a safe and responsible manner

Many jobs will require you to use personal protective equipment like hard hats. If you are working at heights exceeding 3 metres, the employer must provide a fall protection system. If head, respiratory, eye, hearing and/or face protection is required, your employer is required to provide it. However, your employer is not required to provide safety boots. Whatever the situation, make sure you use all safety equipment required for the work.

What are my employer’s responsibilities?

An employer has many responsibilities under the legislation. Your employer must:

Ensure a copy of TheSaskatchewan Employment Act and The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 1996 is available for your reference. The legislation is available for your reference online.

Provide a healthy and safe work environment

Put first aid and emergency arrangements in place

Promptly report incidents to Occupational Health and Safety

Know and follow the appropriate legislation for the industry

Your employer must train you in all matters that are necessary to protect your health and safety before you start work, are assigned different duties or are moved to a new worksite. Also, your employer must pay you while you are being trained. The training must include:

Safety policies, safe work procedures and precautions to protect you against hazards

First aid locations and procedures in the event of fire and other emergencies

Identification of prohibited or restricted areas

Hazard reporting procedures

Your responsibilities

Your employer must provide close and competent supervision until you have been trained to do your job and have enough experience to perform your work safely. If you are uncertain, ask for the training you need to protect your health and safety.

What happens if I am injured at work?

If you are injured, the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) can help. The WCB provides rehabilitation, retraining, and financial help to workers injured or made ill by work. If you are injured at work:

Get medical aid as soon as possible – even if the injury does not appear serious

Report the incident to your employer

Fill out a Worker’s Report of Injury form and send it to the WCB. Phone the WCB if you need help completing the form at 306.787.4370 or toll free 1.800.667.7590

Where can I go for help?

Occupational Health and Safety at the Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety provides services to the people of Saskatchewan, which include:

Assistance and advice to employees, occupational health committees and employers

Work occupational health and safety investigations, enforcements, and appeals

Information about workplace hazards and prevention

Note: There are age restrictions for hiring young workers who are 18 years of age and younger. See Part III section 14 of theOccupational Health and Safety Regulations,1996 for additional information.

As an employer, you have the control over the conditions of work and how it is to be done. You also have the greatest responsibility for health and safety in the workplace.

Every workplace injury is caused by an element in the PEME:

People

Equpment

Materials

Environment

The employer makes the decisions about how to build safety into each of these. You hire the staff, purchase the equipment and materials, and determine the processes of work. Ask yourself:

Do I ask safety-related questions during interviews?

Do I choose equipment and products for safety?

Do I observe the how work is done, and look for the safest way for my employees?

Do I provide safety training?

How can I make my company safer for my employees?

Implement a plan to identify workplace hazards and take action to prevent accidents and occupational illness.

Provide the information, training and education workers need to safely do their jobs. This includes proper orientation, information and training about specific machinery or substances, safety procedures and associated risks.

Train supervisors so they know and obey health & safety requirements and company health & safety policies, practices and procedures.

Check to make sure everyone is following workplace health and safety policies and procedures. If the rules are broken, take action to prevent it from happening again.

Establish an occupational health committee to help identify and control health & safety hazards and address health & safety issues raised by workers. Always consult and co-operate with the committee.

Have a system to report and investigate accidents and near misses. Information from investigations should be used to review and improve health and safety policies, practices and procedures.

Create plans to deal with emergencies, such as fires, explosions, major releases of hazardous materials, violent acts or natural hazards.

Provide appropriate medical and first aid equipment.

Provide personal protective equipment and make sure it is used properly.

Set up a process to identify and prevent harassment in the workplace.

What are my responsibilities as a supervisor?

Supervisors must follow health & safety policies, practices and procedures. You must make sure workers under your direction do so as well. You should:

Instruct and train workers to follow health and safety policies, practices and procedures.